OU's Ryan Spangler to Play on Thunder's Summer League Team

After an incredible career playing basketball at the University of Oklahoma, it looks like Ryan Spangler will be starting his professional career with a team located right down the road from Norman. The former Sooner big man was invited to play with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Summer League in Orlando. 

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The invite to play with Oklahoma City doesn't guarantee a roster spot-- especially for a loaded team like the Thunder-- but it provides Spangler with an platform to be seen by multiple NBA scouts and GMs who are looking to add to their roster. 

Spangler made a name for himself as a Sooner with his knack for always being in the right position for rebounds, while his game constantly improved over his three years as a starter. Mostly known as a post player when he first arrived in Norman as a transfer from Gonzaga, Spangler learned to expand his game to the outside and knocked down 32 three-pointers in his senior season. In all, Spangler averaged 10.2 points and nine rebounds his final year on campus. 

One reason Spangler has a spot on the Summer League roster could be the fact that OKC's first round pick-- Domantas Sabonis-- won't be playing in Orlando and instead opted to play for Lithuania in the Olympics. Like Sabonis, Spangler projects to be a power forward at the next level, and should see more opportunity to earn playing time without Sabonis jockeying for minutes on the court.